Capitol Letter: Labor Takes Aim At Mccain-Feingold

Gubernatorial Dreams
United States Senators can be an emotionally needy bunch, in frequent need of strokes and salves to their fragile self-esteem. When the other party is in the majority, or visions of the Oval Office begin to dim, even life in one of the world's most exclusive clubs can lose a bit of its allure.

What to do? Put your name in play for some other big job, say, governor. Or, if you get mentioned as a possible candidate, just say you haven't ruled anything in or out.

Soon there are stories in the home-state press about party officials who've approached you to consider a run, quotes about what a formidable candidate you'd be, buzz about how the plans of other aspirants hinge on your decision. It's not the presidency, but the package isn't bad. There's a mansion (usually), an official plane, state-trooper escorts everywhere and, of course, a chance to wield executive power. Also, the path from the statehouse to the White House is much more heavily traveled than the one from the Senate to the presidency. Four of the last five chief executives served as governors. Recently, three prominent senators have conducted gubernatorial dalliances: Fred Thompson, the Republican from Tennessee, and Democrats Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and John Breaux of Louisiana.

Thompson, the Watergate-committee-lawyer-turned-Hollywood-character-actor-turned-senator said last week after months of speculation that he wasn't running for governor in 2002 and would most likely seek a second Senate term in 2004. "My time and attention are needed here in the Senate," he said, "and I need to be free of political distractions." But Tennessee political insiders think Thompson never seriously entertained the race. "It was an ego booster," says one veteran political writer, who added that if Thompson had any real interest in the race, it would have been dampened by a look at the thicket of difficulties awaiting Tennessee's next governor, including serious budget problems and a crisis in the state's health-care program, TennCare. If Thompson does switch jobs, look for him to become president and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, Hollywood's lobbying arm in Washington, when Jack Valenti retires.

Although he still won't unequivocally take himself out of the race, Connecticut's Sen. Dodd now calls his gubernatorial ambitions a "nonstory." But he fed the boomlet a few weeks ago by refusing to rule out a 2002 campaign and acknowledging that he'd discussed the idea with the chairman of the Connecticut Democratic party. But Dodd would be giving up far more than Thompson by leaving Washington. As senator's son who began his own service in 1980, Dodd's institutional roots are deep. With his seniority beginning to accrue, his power stands to expand-almost certainly into a major committee chairmanship-if the Democrats win back the majority in 2002.

Sen. Breaux, everybody's favorite moderate (President Bush sounded him out about joining his cabinet) says it's too early to talk about the 2003 Louisiana governor's race, but he remains the most serious prospect for going home. Some Louisiana pols are convinced he will eventually enter the race. He wouldn't have to give up his Senate seat to run (he's not up again until 2004), and his home-state travel schedule these days has a distinctly gubernatorial feel, with speeches and events highlighting education and children's health care.